Today is
Saturday June 20, 2026
TYLER — The Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office issued its first citation Tuesday after brush burning got out of control southeast of Lindale, damaging several properties, according to a county news release. Deputy Fire Marshal Chad Hogue said the property owner off County Road 35 (Lavender Road) was burning four brush piles Tuesday morning. Firefighters were called out, doused the fires with water, and asked the landowner to stay with them until completely out. At 2:08 p.m., the Lindale Fire Department was dispatched to the same property because the fires had gotten out of control, according to the release. Hogue said the fire spread behind neighboring residents’ properties and across a pasture and burned about a quarter mile down County Road 492 (Ann Campbell Road) near the Swan community. The fire burned 20 round bales of hay, threatened houses, and damaged two vehicles. Horses also had to be relocated, Hogue said. Read the rest of this entry »
EAST TEXAS – David Yager, 29, pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in the Eastern District of Texas to violating a detainee’s civil rights by using excessive force against him. According to a news release, Yager admitted that on or about Feb. 28, 2021, while he was acting as a sergeant in the Van Zandt County Jail, he repeatedly punched a restrained detainee in the chest with a taser, which he also deployed on the detainee. Yager admitted that the detainee was confined to a restraint chair at the time. Yager also admitted that his acts caused bodily injury to the detainee, and that he used force on the detainee despite knowing that there was no legitimate law enforcement need to use force. Yager admitted that he hit the detainee out of anger. The defendant faces a 42-month prison sentence. A sentencing date will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation.
LONGVIEW — Daily high temperatures in Longview are expected to remain in the high 90s and low 100s throughout the month and into August. City officials encourage residents to use caution in the summer heat. Several resources have been gathered to provide information about staying safe in extreme heat. Residents can also keep cool at a pool or splash pad or at the Longview Public Library. Also, remember to never leave a child or animal in a hot car as heat exhaustion and death can occur in as little as six minutes in the hot summer weather. Click here for a more detailed rundown of extreme heat resources.
TYLER — Uncontrolled spread and the continued appearance of new variants are named as key factors amid rising COVID numbers in East Texas. Russell Hopkins is NET Health’s director for public health emergency preparedness. Hopkins says you simply can’t go any place where someone hasn’t been exposed — and adds that the new variants can “slip around and re-infect folks.” He says vaccinations, staying home when you’re sick, masking up, and washing your hands continue to be strongly advised. With regard to masking up, Hopkins tells KTBB it’s especially recommended if you go into retail outlets, churches, or other places “where people gather close together and for considerable amounts of time.” For more information on COVID-19 in East Texas, click here.
TYLER – A Tyler man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for kidnapping and raping a woman in March 2021. 50-year-old Michael Timmons pleaded guilty to three charges in court on Tuesday. According to a warrant obtained by our news partner KETK, Timmons and the victim had been living in a tent for at least three days at the end of a dead-end road in Tyler. She told investigators Timmons used quilts to partially cover up two tents that he set up just away from public view while she was held captive. The victim mentioned a fight, repeated beatings, threats, and allegedly being made to take meth. She finally got away after convincing Timmons to let her go to clean up and charge their phone in a Family Dollar, where she went inside and reportedly pleaded for help while Timmons ran away, according to the document.
WHITEHOUSE — A dog was found left in a crate on the side of FM 346 in Whitehouse Monday morning. According to our news partner KETK, Leandra Bissell made the discovery. “I could tell it was distressed and hot. The poor thing was soiled in its kennel,†said Bissell. She said she gave the dog a little bit of water, but it was hesitant to take it at first. She called the police and waited until an officer came out to see about the dog, which is currently being taken care of by officials. Police Captain Frank Brewer says people who see animals out alone in high temperatures should call the police or animal control. Bissell says she hopes whoever abandoned the dog is held accountable and that somebody’s able to take the animal in.
LONGVIEW — The Longview ISD Board of Trustees approved setting the minimum wage for hourly employees at $15 per hour during their July 11 regular meeting. According to a news release, that means hourly wages for Longview ISD staff will be adjusted district-wide for all hourly workers. Dr. James Hockenberry, Assistant Superintendent of District Services, explained that all hourly positions will be reviewed, and “equity adjustments will be applied as necessary or as needed.” As quoted in the release, he added, “These adjustments are being put in place to recognize the value of all our employees, each and every one of them has a profound impact on student learning in their own way.” Click here for further details.
TYLER – Following a June incident at a local trail ride, Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith announced that a man was arrested and jailed on an accusation of promoting a mass gathering without a permit. According to our news partner KETK, Renault Kay was also charged with evading arrest/detention with a vehicle. His total bond is $3,500. Officials earlier announced they would be cracking down on regulations for trail rides and mass gathering events after five people were injured in a shooting at the June trail ride. Officials said the 30-year-old victim from the incident is still in the hospital. On July 9 around 6 p.m. the sheriff’s office was called due to reckless driving at a horse racing track on Smith County road 3104. Deputies arrived to the location and saw a woman collecting admission fees. Deputies told the woman they wanted to speak to the organizer of the event, and she mentioned she would call Renault Kay. Read the rest of this entry »
BROWNSBORO – The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a missing 16-year-old who was last seen almost two weeks ago. According to our news partner KETK, officials say Maylon Couey went missing from Brownsboro June 29 and was reported missing to the sheriff’s office July 1. Maylon is 5’4″, approximately 120 pounds, with brown hair and eyes. Officials said she has ties throughout Henderson County up to the Dallas area, and that ask that any information on her location be sent to 903-675-5128.
TYLER – Hand Up Network, an East Texas-based nonprofit, has launched an Immigration Services Program that organizers say is unlike anything currently available in East Texas. They say the program is reasonably priced and will provide certified services to those who need to file necessary documentation, in addition to educational classes offered through the Hand Up Network’s existing Mentoring Program. Examples of services offered are educational classes in civics, ESL, FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), citizenship, and mental health support. There was a soft launch in June, and organizers say the response has been bigger than even expected. Click here for more information on the program and Hand Up Network’s other services.
TYLER — Tyler Junior College is one of five Texas community colleges selected to work with the Institute for Evidence-Based Change (IEBC) to incorporate Caring Campus into their student success efforts in the Fall 2022 semester. That’s according to a news release from the college. Supported by IEBC coaching and guidance, officials say college teams will engage in work developing specific behavioral commitments, helping faculty and staff to better connect with, and support, students to help them reach their educational goals. Through the program, TJC says it seeks to improve student success and satisfaction by reinforcing and formalizing work already being done while deepening a culture of “students first†— and providing a toolkit for faculty and staff to foster an environment that values students. The Texas program is funded by the Greater Texas Foundation.
LONGVIEW — The Longview Independent School District and East Texas Advanced Academies Friday issued a joint statement on the arrests of former J.L. Everhart Elementary School employees. The statement says Longview ISD Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox can confirm that a grand jury returned indictments last month against six former LISD employees for various offenses allegedly committed toward students enrolled in the J.L. Everhart life skills classroom during the initial weeks of the 2021-2022 school year. According to the statement, district officials first reported concern to the authorities in October when evidence of student mistreatment surfaced. The district says it immediately removed the alleged offending employees, contacted the parents, and began an open and active line of communication with the Longview Police Department and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. Read the rest of this entry »
AUSTIN — Both Tyler and Longview continue their upward trends in sales tax allocations from the state comptroller’s office. For July, Tyler pulled in $4,563,296.31, compared to its figure of $4,363,388.59 a year ago. For the year to date, the total is $33,897,359.15 — up from $29,887,067.79 in 2021. Longview gets $3,496,082.21 this month, an increase from $3,034,620.85 last July. Longview’s year-to-date figure is $25,037,602.23; at this time last year, it was $21,416,385.65. Visit this link for more detailed information.
TYLER — TxDOT will be busy with another round of construction and maintenance work in the Tyler District this coming week. In Gregg County, Longview Maintenance will be continuing hot mix overlay on FM 449, eastbound and westbound from Sam Page Rd. to the Harrison County line. Expect delays. Traffic will be controlled by flaggers and a pilot car. In Smith County, Tyler Maintenance will be repairing low shoulders on FM 2089. Expect lane closures with flaggers controlling traffic. A second crew will be doing ditch maintenance in various locations throughout the county. Click here for a complete rundown of roadwork around the district.
ATHENS — Officials in Henderson County are urging residents to be aware of what they term the clear and present fire dangers that have persisted throughout the county for more than a month. Fire Marshal Shane Renberg says the county has reported a series of recent wildfires, totaling 44 in the past week alone. According to our news partner KETK, there have been 153 within the county since June 1. The Texas Forest Service said Henderson County remains critically dry and that fires could very well continue into the coming week. The entire region has been affected by hot, dry conditions. Smith, Gregg, and Rusk Counties have issued burn bans within the past week, joining numerous other counties in East Texas.
TYLER – The Smith County District Attorney’s Office has released bodycam video in connection to a civil case against Curtis Traylor-Harris. According to our news partner KETK, Traylor-Harris is dealing with criminal charges as well as a civil lawsuit after being accused of stealing from residents while serving a writ of possession as Smith County Constable for Precinct 1. He was charged in November along with two others from his office, Derrick Holman and LaQuenda Banks, with theft and official oppression. Traylor-Harris was rearrested in May for a bond violation, records show. In June, a Smith County resident filed a lawsuit to remove Traylor-Harris from office, alleging that he chose to violate his oath of office on multiple occasions and could not fulfill his duties as constable since his peace officer’s license was suspended. Since then, a new constable was sworn in for Precinct 1, Ralph Caraway Jr. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – The Tyler Fire Marshal’s Office confirmed that two people died in a house fire on Phillips Street Friday morning. According to our news partner KETK, officials say one person killed was an individual who was initially unaccounted for. Firefighters confirmed a man and woman died in the fire and the man’s body has been sent for an autopsy. Tyler Fire was called at 3:37 a.m., and officials were able to get the fire under control within 45 minutes of the initial call. It was said by authorities that there was a delay in containing the fire due to the house’s multiple shingle roof and tin roof on top of that. The house, a short distance south of downtown, had been converted into apartments. Both victims lived in the same unit. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — It’s not nearly as bad as a few months ago, but NET Health’s George Roberts says the current COVID landscape in his agency’s survey area is still cause for concern. Roberts calls the dashboard figures “just the tip of the iceberg,” since his agency can’t track at-home test results. He notes that “anecdotally,” he has talked to a number of people who have had COVID or have family members who have had the virus, so he says he knows the numbers are going up. The actual dashboard remains a mixed bag, but one item of note is a jump in Tyler hospital patients to 59. Roberts continues to urge vaccinations and staying home when you’re sick. He says the omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants now make up about 62 percent of COVID cases in Texas. For more information on COVID-19 in East Texas, click here.
CANTON – A former Van Zandt County sergeant has been charged for deprivation of rights and is accused of unreasonably assaulting a pretrial detainee. That’s according to our news partner KETK. David Yager, who is representing himself in this case, is accused of punching a detainee “in the chest multiple times with a taser, which he activated in drive-stun mode, also known as dry-stun mode,†the court documents said. The documents accused Yager of tasing the detainee on Feb. 28, 2021 while they were restrained by a detention officer and secured in a restraint chair inside the Van Zandt County Jail. A notice of plea agreement has been entered in this case, and the court has given notice that this case is related to the charges against former officers Blake Snell and Steven Craig Shelton.
PALESTINE — Workforce Solutions East Texas (WSET) announces the relocation of its Palestine workforce center to its original location on East Murchison Street, one block from the Anderson County Courthouse and directly across the street from the Courthouse Annex. The Palestine workforce center is now open to the public, with business hours of Monday–Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Palestine and Anderson County are crucial to East Texas’ overall success,” said WSET Executive Director Doug Shryock in a prepared statement. “We’re thrilled to be in such a central location where we can provide necessary services to jobseekers and help businesses discover workers who will produce results daily.”
TYLER — Preliminary data for the Tyler Police Department shows that in 2021, there was a reduction in Part 1 crimes, which consist of violent crimes and property crimes, as well as a slight increase of crimes being reported. According to information from the police department, Part 1 offenses dropped more than 13% compared to 2020 data. There was also a drop of nearly five per cent for violent crime, with 489 reports for the year compared to 514 reported in 2020. The city of Tyler overall experienced a slight increase of about 1% in all reported crimes. In a prepared statement, Chief Jimmy Toler says, in part, “While we saw an increase of crimes being reported, I think that is a great sign of the trust and faith the Tyler community has in our officers.†Click here for a more complete rundown.
MARSHALL — Marshall police seek leads in a fatal shooting. In a news release, police say a caller reported shortly after midnight Tuesday that someone had been shot in a home on Carter Street near the Spring Street intersection and was being taken to a hospital. Martie Person, 22, of Marshall, was pronounced dead at the hospital after sustaining a single gunshot wound. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Marshall Police Department at 903-935-4575. If you have information but want to remain anonymous you may call the Marshall/Harrison County Crimestoppers at 903-935-9969 or use the P3 mobile app.
TYLER — The Smith County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to issue a burn ban for the County. According to a news release, Fire Marshal Jay Brooks said although some southern portions of the county recently received rainfall, many areas did not receive any, and drought and fire conditions are continuing to deteriorate. Brooks said forecasts are calling for temperatures in the triple digits for the next 10 days. The ban is in effect for 90 days, unless conditions improve and the Commissioners Court approves terminating the order early. Brooks said the area would need to see a “period of sustained rainfall†for that to occur. Fireworks, fire pits, and any form of outdoor burning are prohibited, but there are some exceptions. A violation of the burn ban is a Class C Misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $500. Click here for more information.
LAKE CHEROKEE — A Longview man who was fishing for catfish ended up hooking something far bigger — not to mention more dangerous. It was a huge alligator snapping turtle. Justin Broomhall and his fiancee’s father were fishing at Lake Cherokee on Father’s Day when he felt something tug on his line. “That’s when everything went crazy,” the 25-year-old says. For the next 20 minutes, the two men fought the mysterious bait taker until they were finally able to reel it close enough to see what Broomhall had hooked: a 160-pound alligator snapping turtle. Knowing that alligator snapping turtles are an endangered species, Broomhall removed the hook from the giant creature’s mouth and let it go. But he says he looks forward to hopefully seeing him again near that same cove.
TYLER – A Palestine man arrested for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death admitted his involvement to a confidential informant, according to court documents. According to our news partner KETK, Christian Martinez, 28, was arrested June 29 in connection to the tractor trailer smuggling incident in San Antonio that resulted in 53 fatalities, and it was revealed soon after the incident that Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tyler had an active investigation into Martinez. Through HSI Tyler and Palestine Police, an informant was identified, who told investigators that “Martinez said the driver was unaware the air conditioning unit stopped working and was the reason why the individuals died,†the criminal complaint said. Martinez’s preliminary and detention hearing is set for July 18 in San Antonio.
TYLER — TxDOT will be busy with another round of construction and maintenance work in the Tyler District this week. In Smith County, Tyler Maintenance will have a shoulder up crew on FM 2089. A second crew will be on FM 1253 just before FM 1805 performing bridge work. Flaggers will be controlling traffic at both locations. In Gregg County, Longview Maintenance will be overlaying on FM 449 east and westbound, from FM 2751 to the Harrison County line. Expect delays. Traffic will be controlled by flaggers and a pilot car. Click here for a full rundown of roadwork around the district.
ATHENS — In an effort to recruit more police officers, the Athens City Council recently approved an increase in salaries for the police department — including a substantial hike for new officers. According to our news partner KETK, the city says the department currently has nine openings as it has reportedly been short-staffed for years due to a statewide lack of recruits. Officials also said this hasn’t been caused by a lack of effort, because they have resorted to many measures to recruit — but the shortage has persisted nonetheless. The new pay scale would increase a beginning officer’s starting salary from $46,654 per year to $59,528, with smaller increases depending on rank for officers currently with the department to help retain them.
TYLER — For the month of July, Tyler Animal Services is partnering with CASA for Kids of East Texas to donate school supplies for foster children. All dog and cat adoption fees will be waived when a backpack with at least six listed supplies is brought to the Tyler Animal Shelter on Chandler Hwy. Donatable items include solid color backpacks without wheels, crayons (Crayola brand only), folders (pockets and/or brads, solid colors), index cards, manila paper, notebooks, and more. Click this link for the full list and additional information.
TYLER — This July, the City of Tyler is celebrating Parks and Recreation Month by acknowledging how Tyler is stronger and more vibrant and resilient because of its Parks and Recreation Department, according to a news release. To commemorate the month, the community is invited to share their experiences, memories, and stories about the city’s parks using the hashtag #RiseUpJuly on social media. You can follow @TylerParksandRec on Facebook to see daily highlights, news, and stories from the community. Director of Parks and Recreation Leanne Robinette says, “Parks help promote health and wellness, equity, and conservation while increasing the value of homes, and most of all creating a strong sense of community,” as quoted in the release. Click here for further details.
LONGVIEW — The City of Longview’s annual Fireworks and Freedom Celebration will be held this evening at the Longview Convention Complex. According to the city website, activities include a free concert and “the biggest fireworks show in East Texas!” The concert begins at 6:30 p.m. Fireworks begin at 9:30 p.m. This year, country musician Drake White and East Texan Hayden McBride will perform on the live music stage. You’re asked to bring a chair for the performance. The fireworks and parking are also free. Food and beverages will be available for purchase from vendors during the event. Click here to learn more.